WASHINGTON, DC – I’m sorry if you missed Medtrade Spring this year, because you missed a great show. It was a very positive experience, and a much-needed boost for our industry.
After months of miserable winter weather for much of the country this year, we were welcomed to Las Vegas with beautiful sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s. Inside the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the Monday sessions started with the halls buzzing all-day with both workshops and busy sessions.
The 6-4-18 Sessions (six sessions to help you for (4) the next 18 months), scheduled over the three days, were packed with interactive attendees asking great questions and sharing best practices. The majority of the attendees were from the west coast, with Alaska and Hawai’i well represented. However, many savvy east-coasters were there as well, keeping current with the latest changes and the newest offerings for retail sales.
We had the Exhibit Hall perfectly located at the top of the escalator, right above the educational rooms. The Hall stayed busy both Tuesday and Wednesday, and many of the vendor friends I had hoped to catch up with were too busy with customers to stop and visit on the floor. The Hall stayed busy and active from opening to closing.
In our Audit Power Panel, participants enjoyed hearing from our panel of experts, and then had a chance to meet at roundtables to ask their specific questions. I am hoping that we will do something similar at Medtrade in October because it received such positive feedback.
While it is always helpful to purchase the audio from the show with all of the individual sessions and handouts, it is not the same as attending, being able to ask your specific question(s), and talk face-to-face with the exhibitors, experts and your peers. I always purchase the audio sessions, since I can’t attend most of the sessions, but the positive vibe of this show was something to witness in person.
It is always refreshing to be in a positive environment with folks who are enthusiastic about this industry. In the retail sales realm, there is such excitement and a “Medicare Be Damned-We Are Going To Make It Work” attitude. It is reassuring to see all of the products and opportunities for suppliers. I hope you have Oct 26 – 29, 2015, on your calendar for Medtrade in Atlanta. I do!
Mary Ellen Conway is a frequent Medtrade speaker and founder of The Capital Healthcare Group, Washington, DC.